The streets of Silverleaf City had never been more alive. From the towering sect halls to the smallest roadside taverns, the entire city pulsed with chaotic energy, discussions erupting like wildfire in every corner.
The banquet at Celestial Eminence had become the grand event of the century, and even those who had not set foot inside the sacred hall were consumed by its battles. Tea houses, inns, and betting stalls overflowed with eager patrons, their voices rising in heated debates.
In the Silverleaf Market District, merchants, nobles, and wandering cultivators alike had crowded around viewing talismans, each enchanted to display the ongoing battles within the banquet hall.
Inside a noisy tea shop, a young noble slapped a handful of silver coins onto a worn table, his voice booming with excitement.
"Five hundred taels say Lou Tianyu will dominate the banquet rankings! Any challengers?"
The entire room erupted into laughter, some mocking him, others eagerly matching the bet with their own wagers.
"Are you mad?" an old gambler scoffed. "He hasn't even drawn his spirit weapon yet! How can he win?"
"That's precisely why I'm betting on him! He's hiding his true power, just watch!"
----
Not far from the **market chaos**, near the merchant roads leading in and out of the city, a small caravan rested, its members watching the banquet through a single large viewing talisman, voices subdued but heavy with anticipation.
Master Hu, the caravan's leader, sat cross-legged, his arms folded as he observed the events unfold on the talisman's glowing surface.
Beside him, Old Bai leaned forward, his expression unreadable.
Lan Mei, however, had a distinct look of longing, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her drink.
"I never knew he had so much potential…" she murmured, her voice carrying an unusual softness. "Such a waste. If only I were stronger, I could have made him stay with us."
The caravan group paused, glancing at her with amusement.
Old Bai let out a mocking scoff, his voice filled with teasing sarcasm.
"Ha! If only he actually sees you as a lady!"
Lan Mei's expression darkened immediately, but Old Bai continued ruthlessly.
Look at yourself—clad in armor, more brutish than the beasts we fought on the road to Silverleaf! You kept whacking bandits left and right! What man would even dare to look at you romantically?"
The caravan burst into uproarious laughter, drowning out Lan Mei's curses.
She snatched her drink, gulping it down in one go, her frustration only amusing them further.
As their laughter settled, Master Hu finally spoke, his voice carrying quiet reverence.
"At least we were able to see his brilliance and nobility when he was with us."
Old Bai nodded, his tone warm yet reflective.
"He was a good lad. But he will only soar higher once he begins cultivating at Thousand Peaks Sect."
The caravan group exchanged looks, understanding the truth of those words.
Though they had once traveled alongside Lou Tianyu, he had already surpassed the world they lived in.
He would soon walk a path far beyond their reach.
And yet, even knowing this, they continued watching—proud, curious, and perhaps… just a little wistful.
----
The banquet hall of Celestial Eminence still pulsed with anticipation. Elite disciples had already battled, each clash elevating the excitement, each duel forging reputations that would be remembered for generations.
But there was one final clash before the grand moment everyone awaited.
As the murmurs settled, Lu Han of Northern Frost Valley stood, his presence as cold and unyielding as his sect's reputation. He carried himself with absolute precision, walking with a slow but deliberate pace toward the battle stage.
The audience held their breath—many assuming his challenge would be for Lou Tianyu.
But then—Lu Han lifted his Azure Dragonfang Spear, pointing with unmistakable resolve toward the Han Clan's table.
His voice rang out like a thunderclap:
"Han Renshu! Come forth!"
Whispers exploded through the banquet hall.
"He's challenging Han Renshu instead?"
"Of course! The Han Clan is known for their mastery of the spear—this is a battle between two spear prodigies!"
At the Han Clan's table, Han Renshu smirked, the glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.
With a single leap, he landed upon the battle stage, his Black Thorn Spear resting on his shoulder, its blackened surface tinged with red, forged from the bone of a legendary Thorn Dragon.
He gazed at Lu Han, measuring his opponent carefully.
Then, with a confident smirk, he spoke:
"You better be worth my mettle."
As the two warriors took their stances, Nascent Soul auras erupted, filling the hall with suffocating pressure.
Lu Han, at Nascent Soul Stage 2, carried an air of calculated coldness, while Han Renshu, at Nascent Soul Stage 3, radiated undisputed dominance.
Even before the match began, they tested each other's strength—their Qi forming unseen currents, colliding like waves in the air.
It was as if the battle had already started, despite neither making the first move.
Then—they disappeared.
A deafening CLANG resounded as their spears collided mid-air, neither holding back their sheer physical prowess.
Unlike the battle between Xiang Tianyi and Jian Lin, which was graceful, calculated, and majestic, this battle was brutal, unrelenting, and ferocious.
Each strike tore through the air, their weapons smashing against each other with resounding force.
The guests watched in awe, feeling the intensity ripple through the stage.
Lu Han parried Han Renshu's assault, using the opening to activate his Qi technique.
With a piercing glare, he stabbed forward—his spear infused with chilling energy.
"Frozen Spiral!"
A violent torrent of ice engulfed his weapon, spiraling toward Han Renshu at terrifying speed.
Yet Han Renshu remained unfazed, countering in a heartbeat.
"Fractured Earth!"
His spear slammed downward, releasing a pulse of destructive force, shattering the ground beneath them as the two techniques met.
The impact sent both warriors hurtling backward, momentarily creating a lapse in their battle.
Standing apart, both warriors stared at each other, breaths heavy but resolve unwavering.
Han Renshu chuckled, his voice carrying amused approval.
"Not bad."
Lu Han smirked, gripping his spear tighter.
"A Han indeed."
Though their words were brief, their true understanding had already formed—they had **earned each other's respect through combat alone.
But neither was willing to stop now.
Their spirit weapons awakened, filling the stage with terrifying pressure.
Above Lu Han, an Azure Tempest Dragon manifested, its ethereal form swirling in chaotic winds.
Above Han Renshu, a Thorn Dragon materialized, its enormous body radiating suffocating power.
Guests in the hall gasped in awe, recognizing that both warriors had pushed beyond normal mastery, their weapons now exhibiting spiritual intent.
Among the elders, Feng Xinyue and Han Jifeng received congratulations from their peers.
"You have raised true monsters," one patriarch murmured.
Feng Xinyue smiled in pride, while Han Jifeng simply huffed, accepting their praise as an undeniable truth.
Back on the battlefield, the moment grew terrifyingly still.
Han Renshu spoke first, his voice now carrying unmistakable finality.
"Be careful."
Then—he roared his ultimate technique:
"Wrath of the Heavens!"
A thunderous boom echoed as the Thorn Dragon whipped its massive tail downward, its strike covering the battlefield in sheer destruction.
Lu Han's eyes sharpened—his spear glowed violently as he activated his strongest counterattack.
He shouted, "Endless Tempest!"
The Tempest Dragon surged forward, its winds transforming into an unstoppable storm, colliding directly with Han Renshu's technique.
The two forces collided, unleashing a maelstrom of Qi that shook Celestial Eminence itself.
Their respective spirit weapons—Azure Dragonfang and Black Thorn Spear—had fully awakened, and with them, their manifestations roared to life.
High above the battlefield, two colossal dragons materialized—their towering forms blotting out the banquet's golden arrays, turning the grand hall into a spectacle unlike any ever witnessed before.
The Tempest Dragon, surging with skyborn fury, unleashed violent torrents, its ethereal coils twisting like spiraling hurricanes.
Opposing it, the Thorn Dragon, encased in jagged obsidian spikes, let out a deafening roar, its wings stretching outward, casting a shadow across the battlefield.
The moment their gazes locked, the clash began.
The Tempest Dragon lunged, its whipping winds slicing through the air, leaving ethereal gales of Qi in its wake.
The Thorn Dragon retaliated, extending its serrated tail, lashing out in a brutal arc aimed at its opponent's chest.
The collision shook the banquet hall, sending shockwaves through the platform, the force so great that fractures split beneath the feet of Lu Han and Han Renshu.
Their fight below continued—but now, the stage was veiled in Qi storms, masked by the chaotic remnants of battle above.
Below the clashing titans, Lu Han and Han Renshu moved through a battlefield of dust and energy storms, their figures barely visible amidst the raging power that engulfed them.
Spectators strained to see, their eyes barely piercing the swirling mists of unleashed Qi.
Only flashes of movement revealed the fight—one strike, then another, two blurred figures navigating the destruction of their own battle.
From time to time, the dragons' aerial war sent winds and debris crashing onto the battlefield, forcing both warriors to adjust their stances between their duel.
As the dragons locked onto each other, their final attacks gathered, their energies converging into one decisive blow.
Above, the Thorn Dragon released a tail-strike infused with Wrath of the Heavens, its spikes glowing in sheer devastation.
Below, Han Renshu mirrored it—his spear burning with the same ultimate technique, his stance firm despite the impending wreckage.
At the same time, the Tempest Dragon surged forward, its hurricane-strength winds forming into a devastating vortex, while Lu Han stood beneath its shadow, spear infused with Endless Tempest.
Then—the moment of impact arrived.
The two dragons collided with earth-shattering force, their energies descending upon their masters, merging the skyborn battle with the warriors' final exchange below.
The Guests gripped their seats, their breaths stolen by the overwhelming clash before them
Then—silence.
As the dust cleared, two silhouettes remained, standing despite the brutal exchange.
Both warriors bloodied and scarred, yet unbroken.
Just as Han Renshu prepared for one final strike, a commanding voice interrupted the battlefield.
"Enough!" Yue Zhen's voice boomed across the hall.
The patriarch rose from his seat, his presence silencing the banquet entirely.
"This banquet was meant for friendly sparring between clans and sects—to show the vastness of the world beyond your own. There is no need to damage your foundations further."
His decision was absolute.
"This match is a draw."
Lu Han glanced at Han Renshu, then at Feng Xinyue, who nodded and told him gently:
"Rest now, my dear disciple."
Han Renshu looked toward Han Jifeng, who simply said "come back, and seat down" ordered him to return with a firm tone.
Despite their burning reluctance, the two warriors finally sighed and yielded.
Reluctantly, both warriors lowered their weapons, sharing one last glance of mutual respect.
"We will finish this another day," Han Renshu declared.
Lu Han smirked, gripping his spear one last time.
"Agreed."
Both warriors then stepped off the stage, returning to their seats to recover.
Outside Celestial Eminence, the city erupted into madness.
Taverns and gambling houses descended into chaos, fists flying as arguments over the outcome escalated into outright brawls.
This battle had transcended expectation.
Stories of the spear masters of this generation would now be told for centuries to come.
As the excitement settled, guests slowly turned their gaze to a single figure.
Lou Tianyu—the enigmatic contender who had yet to draw his spirit weapon.
Was he truly the strongest?
What mysteries did he still conceal?
Would he claim the banquet's throne?
Then—a voice finally shattered the silence.